Measuring a year
by JAMJessica
Summary: When Bella can no longer see the world around her she counts time in minute, days, weeks, and years. Nothing makes an impact on her life, but that is all about to change when she is sent away by her father to a place that can help her. summary sucks


I got the idea for this story after hearing the song Seasons of Love by Rent. Note this is not really a song fic but yeah, it will be pretty obvious why I thought of the story while listening to it. : )

Any way, Cannon couples, um…Edward Bella obviously. Okay I hope you guys like this story!

Summary: When Bella can no longer see the world around her she counts time in minute, days, weeks, and years. Nothing makes an impact on her life, but that is all about to change when she is sent away by her father to a place that can help her.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of them! AT ALL

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><p>Chapter 1: 525,600 Minutes<p>

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><p>It had been exactly 525,600 minutes since I had last seen the sun, and no it was not because I lived in rainy little Fork's Washington. It was because of what HE had done to me. The one person with whom I placed so much hate on, a man who I could never forgive and never think of without crying, the man I had once loved with my whole heart. I did not even dare think his name.<p>

I never thought I was pretty, I never thought I was smart, or special in anyway. I knew I was average, not stupid but no genius either; I did things decently but not special. Then I met HIM and everything changed. He made me feel beautiful, he made me feel smart and special and everything I had been craving since my mother had basically abandoned me at birth.

I had always thought she left because I was not good enough, but that's another story entirely.

So exactly 525,600 minutes ago I lost my will to live. Again I have no trouble admitting this. The one I loved brought me up. He made me feel all of these things then exactly one year ago he took it all away. He broke my trust and causes my problem. He disfigured me, he blinded me, and he crushed my soul and heart.

A year ago I could see, and a year ago I could walk. Now I could do neither. Since then I had given up and I have not tried to help myself, and this is what had led to me being in my father car, driving toward Seattle. I could not blame him I was a shell of my former self, but unlike my father I did not have hope I could be fixed. He had hope. Hope I would again walk and perhaps even see again.

So a week ago I heard my father on the phone.

"I just do not know what to do anymore Carlisle! All she does is stay in her room or on the couch. She barely eats, she rarely talks, and she never tries anything anymore!" There was a brief pause before he continued. "You really think so… I don't know. I really do not want to be separated from her….Yeah I guess your right I am not doing anything for her…yeah…what's the number…thanks…yeah bye."

Carlisle was someone Charlie had met when he was working in Seattle a few years back. I had never met him and had no contact with him.

But here I was on my way to a facility in Seattle. I would be staying there all week, and would stay with my father's friend during the weekend. I did not know why but I just agreed without a fight. So on my seventeenth birthday I was on my way. A year ago today is when I started being like this. This was the anniversary of that day, and my birthday. My father had said happy birthday but that was about it. He knew as well as I did what today was.

"Will you be okay Bella? I can stay for a while; bring you to meet Carlisle before." Charlie rambled nervously. I shook my head. "I'm fine. Help me out dad." I said simply. I wanted to be out of his site and alone.

He walked over to the back and pulled out my wheel chair and then picked me up, setting me into it. He pushed me inside the building. For exactly 66 minutes I sat there, not saying a word, just counting the ticking from my watch. Yeah, that what I did now a days when I was bored. I counted the ticking of the second hand on my watch. Pathetic huh?

My father finally returned. "Okay Bella. This is Ben, he will take you to your room." Charlie said quietly before bending down to hug me. "Be safe…call me if you need anything. I will be up to visit in a week or two alright?" I nodded not caring much.

I heard a small sigh leave his lips and then his footsteps heading out the door.

"Okay Isabella…I am sure you're tired so l will escort you to your room, and someone will come to bring to to eat. They will also give you're a tour of the school and facilities. Starting tomorrow you will be on a schedule. This will include school, physical therapy and specialized lessons. You will learn about those when Em arrives to take you to dinner. Get a nap in, you will need it Isabella."

I groaned softly. "Alright…and call me Bella...please." I mumbled not at all happy. This man sounded nice enough but I could already tell I would get away with nothing around him. IK could do whatever I wanted around my father. He did not care. My wheel chair was being pushed from behind by the man. I felt as I went up one ramp and then another ramp as well. Soon enough a door was opened and I was brought inside.

"Now you're next to your bed Bella. I know your arms are not broken and you have movement in your legs. You're capable of getting yourself onto the bed and also getting to the bathroom. You shall learn quickly we will not baby you Bella. You shall learn to do things on your own again. That's why you were brought here. If you do need assistance there is a button by your bed. It is for when you REALLY need help. We know you are unable to walk at the moment but you can move." I nodded, frowning slightly. I really hated this place already.

"Your things had been shipped here the night before, so everything is put away. Em will show you where everything is located and how to do the things you need to do. Like I said he will be here in three hours." He also explained where the bathroom was located. It was on the side of the room and if I needed it I could easily find the door knob. I could already tell this place was going to be a pain.

I took a small breath and felt the bed. The sheets where relatively soft and I could tell it was at least comfortable.

Ben was right I knew how to get around if I had to. I could get to the bathroom, use the toilet, I could get into the tub and bathe and exit. I could get in and out of bed as well. I could not pick my own clothes and I could not go down steps. I only got around as much as I did because my father was male and I refused to allow him to help me with those things.

Using my arms I pulled myself onto the bed and sat there. I tugged off my shoes and dropped them on the floor before flopping back onto the bed. I must of fallen asleep because the next thing I heard was a pounding on my door. I jumped my unseeing eyes going in that direction.

"Wakey Wakey Bella! Time to get up and have dinner and tour the school!"

I groaned, he must have heard me because next thing I heard was the door opening. "What if I was getting changed!" I complained, glaring at the man a moment. At least I think I was glaring. "Oh that does not matter dear Bella. Besides it was obvious you were asleep."

I heard my wheel chair move and he came to stand by my bed. "Come on Isabella! Time to get some grub!" Again a groaned and a moment after that I felt myself being lifted and set down into the wheel chair. The man seemed to almost miss the chair at first but quickly fixed his mistake, setting me down in the proper fashion.

I heard his heavy footsteps going toward the door before hearing it open. Finally I felt my chair moving out the door. "So my name is Emmett Cullen, and I shall be your guide today!" I frowned slightly. Cullen…this was Carlisle's son. I decided to ask just to be sure. "Are you…Carlisle's son?"

"Yup! That is dear old dad! He said you would be coming here today and I volunteered to help you out! Also I heard that you're going to stay at his place over the weekend. You'll like it. " He assured me and I shrugged not entirely convinced by that fact but did not argue.

I suddenly smelled food and my stomach rumbled but I knew I probably would not eat much. Especially if someone was watching me. I could not even use a fork with out feeling around for my food. "We are the only two here. Ben and I thought you would feel more comfortable with a little privacy instead of eating with everyone else.

"So, didn't you already eat then?" I said frowning. "Yup! I ate but I am still hungry so I am getting seconds! The chef Emily is really good, and she is a really sweet older lady. Oh but don't swear around here…she has literally tried to wash peoples mouth out with soup. Not a pretty picture." A small smile graced my lips. Very small, but one of the few I had since my…accident…

"Well not going to hear a swear from me…"

He laughed before pushing me to the table. I felt the table in front of me. Lower then normal, probably for the wheel chair to fit under comfortably.

I hear a chair scraping the floor across from me.

I then heard two plates being placed on the table. "Thanks…" I said quietly. "Your welcome deary. We can make introductions later when your settled better." I simply nodded.

I heard her light foot steps leave and then I listened as Emmett ate, not loud, but not quiet either. "You going to eat Bella?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"I am not hungry."

"Yeah you are…your stomach just growled a few minutes ago. Your hungry."

I groaned softly. "No I am not!"

"Yeah you are Bella. Why don't you just tell the truth? Hmm? That your embarrassed you have to use your hands to properly find your food? That you have no coordination when it comes to spoons or forks? Those knives are dangerous because your unable to make sure the knife is on the dish? Which one Bella? I know them all."

I growled softly. How did he know everything I was thinking! "No! I am just not hungry!"

I heard him sigh and for some reason it made me sad. I did not like hearing this man seem upset. "Bella…you do not have to hide your thoughts from me. It is okay to feel helpless and want some help. That is what this place is for. This place will give you the knowledge and skills you need. Just tell me, I promise I can help."

I frowned but relented and told him exactly what I thought and felt. "Fine…everything you said…everything holds true…" I could almost smile when I heard his voice. "Good! Now I can help you…"

"How." I mumbled.

"Well..this food right here, at least this meal, is finger foods. It is a hamburger, fries, and since Emily is all about health apple slices." He paused a moment. "It just happened to turn out this way today but normally it is normal dinners with a fork being needed. Emily does it a special way. You know where the numbers on a clock are right?"

"Yeah…" I said skeptically.

"Well at twelve o-clock is usually there is the potatoes or pasta or rice, something like that. Then at four o-clock is the vegetable and at eight o-clock is the main dinner like beef, chicken, or what ever she wants to cook for protein. Then the drink will always be directly to the left of two o-clock.

I thought a moment and in all actuality it did sound like it might be easier to find the food I wanted. I was able to visualize a dish in my head and where the things might be located. "I get it. Some what."

"It will take practice but being able to know where the food is on the dish makes it allot easier to eat."

I nodded slightly and then reached out to find the hamburger. It was sliced in half so I picked up half and lifted the top, knowing there was probably a tomato and of course I was right. I took it out, setting it aside before I started eating as well. Emmett was right this woman was a good chef. I ate the hamburger hungrily and the fries. Glad to find some ketchup on the side.

Emmett and I fell into a slightly awkward conversation. Some where in the middle of this conversation he asked me what I used to do for fun.

"I used to read. Now I just sit there not doing much of anything." I shrugged slightly.

"You know you can still read right? Maybe not the conventional way but you can still most definitely read."

I knew that but I had tried learning brail it never worked. I could not make heads or tails out of even when my father called in a teacher. "Tried it. I could never understand it."

"We have teachers here…but even I had trouble learning it. I will teach you okay?" After a slight pause he continued. "My seemed to work better. Especially with those who became blind later in life and not at birth. Before you know it you will be reading Shakespeare."

"I would like that…I used to live Romeo and Juliet." I murmured softly.

"Then we will start with that! Though we will start that tomorrow…how about that will be one of you special lessons with me. Reading brail? I also have a few other lessons we can do tomorrow as well."

Eventually dinner was finished and we where touring the school. He explained where everything was and how to get there, but promised he would escort me around to the places I needed to be until I was used to it. Once in my room he left a moment before returning. "The closet is straight ahead. The dresser is to the right. Now I will teach you how to choose your clothing."

"Yeah I can pick out the clothes but they won't match anyway so what's the point?"

"Well I am going to teach you that right now." I sighed and he continued. He held out a few different little slabs. "Each one feels a little different right?" I thought a moment before speaking. "I guess…"

"Good. Each one represents a different color and attached to each shirt, pants, excreta is one of these markers with the color on it. Until you learn brail this is the method you can use. Once you pick your clothes you take off the clip and off you go."

Complicated but I understood. I caught on quickly. I ran my fingers over the little things and felt the material. Surprisingly I found my pink pajama bottoms, and the matching shirt. I held them out toward Emmett. "Good."

I finally spoke. "Thanks…oh and about tomorrow…I do not want to cause you any trouble…making you go out of your way just to show me around."

"Its no problem. I am going the same way anyway. I have classes to after all. I am seventeen too and a student here."

"Oh…alright."

Then it suddenly struck me. "Your blind!" I nearly shouted. Next thing I heard was his booming laugh. "That's right little Bella! I am a student here and of course that means I am blind. See you tomorrow Bella!"

"Oh and Happy Birthday! By the time your eighteen everything will be better, I can promise you that."

Soon enough I was alone in the room. I brought myself to the bathroom and bathed before changing into my pajama's before going to bed. I could already tell tomorrow would be a long day. I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I could not believe that man was blind. He acted so normally and did not bang into anything at all on the way. Though there had been some signs. Like when he almost missed the wheel chair, and like how he never seemed to answer when I simply nodded yes to him.

Well I guess I am going to have to start acting more like Emmett…

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><p>Edward will come in around chapter 3 sooo yeah ^_^<br>Hope you guys like the first chapter…  
>I think it sucks but hopefully I get some reviews. I will continue if I get some feed back. YAY hehe<p> 


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